Ward L. Kaiser (19-- - ) is a publisher, author, pastor, and activist. Kaiser graduated from Waterloo College (now Wilfrid Laurier University) in Waterloo, Ontario in 1945, and later from Union Theological Seminary in New York. As a publisher, Kaiser introduced the Peters Projection World Map to North America, publishing the first English language version in 1983. In 1968 he was named Alumnus of the Year by Waterloo Lutheran University (now Wilfrid Laurier University). Kaiser has received citations from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, for published work in cartography and technical translation, and is an Honorary Life member of the National Association of Ecumenical and Interfaith Staff.
Based on a document at mipolonia.net and the holdings at Region of Peel Archives, the company was named Kalec‐Forster from at least 1923 to 1927, and named Kalec Inc from at least 1931 to 1941. The business operated from 1420 Broadway (1923 to 1924), the "Hofman Building" (1925 to 1927, 1931 to 1932), and 5521 Cass Ave (1935 to 1938, 1940 to 1941).
Kalmen Kaplansky, born in Poland in 1912, emigrated to Canada in 1929 and soon became active in labour and politics in Montreal. In 1946, he was appointed a national director of the Jewish Labour Committee. Claude Jodoin, head of the newly formed Canadian Labour Congress invited Kaplansky to be the Director of the International Affairs Department of the Canadian Labour Congress. From 1967 to 1980, he served as a director of the Canadian Branch of the International Labour Office. For close to three years, beginning in 1971, he was Chairman of the Special Staff Group on Employment and Economic Opportunities native northerners of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs. He was a Senior Fellow with the Human Rights Centre, University of Ottawa between 1980 and 1990. Kaplansky was involved with numerous committees, commissions and organizations, with national and international scope, which were concerned with labour and industrial relations, human rights, economic development and education. Upon his retirement in 1980, he was named Member of the Order of Canada. In 1983, he received an honourary degree, Doctor of University, from the University of Ottawa. He died on Human Rights Day, December 10, 1997. He married Esther Kositsky in 1945 and they had two daughters, Marsha Anne and Frances. They moved to Ottawa in April, 1957 when he assumed a position with the Canadian Labour Congress.
Rebecca Kamarner (née Huenstein) (1882-1975) was born in Russia and lived there until her early adulthood. She married Harry Kamarner (1877- 1962) in 1902 and immigrated to Toronto around 1904. Mrs. Chava Kamarner (1847-1929), possibly Harry’s mother, may have immigrated at a later date and lived with the family in Canada. Rebecca and Harry had three children: Bessie (b. 1903), Anne (b. 1906?), and Jack (1907?-1986). Harry and Rebecca lived on 35 Bellevue Avenue in 1925 and later resided at 72 Barton Street.
From the date of her arrival as an immigrant to Canada, Mrs. Kamarner was involved in charitable work through such organizations as The Hebrew Women’s Convalescent Home established in 1936 (of which she was the President and founder), The Hebrew Maternity Aid Society, and The Women’s Auxiliary Toronto Hebrew Free School. During the First and Second World Wars she was actively involved in social aid and the sponsorship of orphans, and she worked as a nurse during the influenza pandemic that began in 1918 and had its greatest effect on the Jewish community in Toronto in 1919 and 1920. She was one of the earliest members of the Toronto Hadassah-Wizo (Schamira Levine chapter) and was also actively involved in fundraising for the Women’s Auxiliary of The New Mount Sinai Hospital, of which she was listed as a charter member. She served on the Board of Directors of The Jewish Home for the Aged and was a preeminent name in the promotion of convalescent care and social advocacy for the disadvantaged throughout her lifetime.
Harry, Nathan "Nutta" (d. 1956), and Louis Kamarnar were men’s clothing and furnishings retailers and owned the Merchant’s Clothing Co. store on 131 Queen Street West. Harry, his son Jack, and his son-in-law Harry Granger, were also affiliated with the Judean Knights of Pythias, a fraternal order.
Bessie Kamarner married Sam Robins (b.1893) in 1922 and they lived together at 273 Queen Street East. Anne Kamarner was married to Harry Graner (d. 1986) in 1931. Jack Kamarner lived in Toronto and married Jeanne (née Rubin). They had two daughters, Ann and Nancy.
Kanados Lietuvių Bendruomenė or KLB (Lithuanian Canadian Community, LCC) is the Canadian chapter of the apolitical, non-governmental and non-profit Pasaulio Lietuvių Bendruomenė or PLB (Lithuanian World Community). The basis for the PLB is found in the “Lietuvių Charta” (Lithuanian Charter) that was declared on June 14, 1949 by the Vyriausiasis Lietuvos išlaisvinimo komitetas or VLIKas (Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania) in Germany where it had regrouped after the second Soviet occupation of Lithuania. VLIKas was established by representatives of Lithuania’s various political parties in German occupied Lithuania in 1943 to act as an underground government until restoration of Lithuanian independence. VLIKas also prepared a draft constitution for the PLB in 1949 that declared that the PLB consists of all Lithuanians living abroad and its primary purposes are to support and unite all Lithuanians outside Lithuania's borders, to promote and preserve Lithuanian culture and language abroad and to help restore an independent Lithuania. Even though the first PLB Seimas (Congress) was only held in 1958, national chapters had been formed in 20 countries around the world by that time. The origins of the KLB can be traced to the formation of the Kanados Lietuvių Sąjunga (Lithuanian Association of Canada) at a meeting of representatives of its local chapters during a congress of Lithuanian organizations called by the Kanados Lietuvių Taryba (Lithuanian Council of Canada) in Montreal in March of 1949. Kanados Lietuvių Taryba had been formed by representatives of existing Lithuanian organizations in response to the first Soviet occupation of Lithuania in 1940 and was meant to unify the political and relief efforts of those organizations. The purpose of the Kanados Lietuvių Sąjunga was to unify all individuals of Lithuanian decent in Canada in a democratic organization. A rift developed in the Lithuanian community in Canada following the 1949 Montreal congress as the Kanados Lietuvių Centro Taryba (Lithuanian Council of Canada Central Committee) refused to acknowledge the formation and authority of the Kanados Lietuvių Sąjunga. The rift was driven primarily by political and religious differences between some of the more active and influential members of the two organizations. The rift was slowly healed following the formation of the KLB Laikinasis Organizacinis Komitetas or LOK (LCC Provisional Organizing Committee) in July of 1949. The LOK organized 21 regional chapters or apylinkės in cities and regions with significant Lithuanian communities, that then elected representatives to the Krašto Taryba (National Council) that met August 30-31, 1952 in Montreal and officially established the KLB when it adopted the KLB’s first constitution or by-laws and elected its first Krašto Valdyba (National Executive). Since 1952, the Krašto Taryba, whose members are currently elected for a three year term, meets at least once every year to set priorities for the KLB’s activities for the coming year. Originally, KLB was known in English as the Lithuanian Canadian Federation, but it was officially named the Lithuanian-Canadian Community when the organization was federally incorporated in 1963. The primary role of the KLB has been to promote Lithuanian culture and self-awareness in Canada and has included establishing and supporting Lithuanian language schools, organizing Lithuanian cultural events such as Kanados Lietuvių Dienos (Lithuanian Canadian Days), folk dance and song festivals, providing charitable support for Lithuanian refugees in Europe and Canada after WW II and for Lithuania after the restoration of its independence in 1990, and representing Lithuanian political interests in Canada.
Kanados Lietuvių Bendruomenės (KLB) Edmonton apylinkė (Lithuanian Canadian Community Edmonton chapter) was established as the regional chapter of the Lithuanian Canadian Community (LCC) for Lithuanians living in the Edmonton, Alberta area. On 1949-12-11 at a general meeting of Lithuanians living in and around Edmonton, it was decided to form the Lietuvių Tautinis Komitetas (Lithuanian National Committee) and an executive committee was elected. This committee called another general meeting on 1950-5-28 at which it was decided to form a KLB Apylinkės Laikinasis Organizacinis Komitetas or ALOK (LCC Provisional Chapter Organizing Committee) out of the previously formed Lietuvių Tautinis Komitetas. At a general meeting held on 1952-10-19, the Edmonton LCC chapter officially started its activities with the election of the chapter’s first executive. The Edmonton LCC chapter was still active in 2010.
Kanados Lietuvių Bendruomenės (KLB) Lethbridge apylinkė (Lithuanian Canadian Community Lethbridge chapter) was the regional chapter of the Lithuanian Canadian Community (LCC) for Lithuanians living in Lethbridge, Alberta. On 1949-6-26, Lithuanians living in Lethbridge formed a chapter of the Kanados Lietuvių Taryba (Lithuanian Council of Canada). On 1950-8-27, Lethbridge’s Lithuanians voted to form an Apylinkės Laikinasis Organizacinis Komitetas or ALOK (Provisional Chapter Organizing Committee) for Lethbridge which oversaw the formation of the LCC chapter and the election of the chapter’s first executive (apylinkės valdyba) on 1952-12-20. On 1968-12-9, the chapter’s remaining members voted to officially dissolve the Lethbridge chapter as of 1969-1-1.
Kanados Lietuvių Bendruomenės (KLB) Oakville Apylinkė (Lithuanian Canadian Community Oakville Chapter) was the regional chapter of the Lithuanian Canadian Community (LCC) for Lithuanians living in Oakville, Ontario. The Apylinkės Laikinasis Organizacinis Komitetas or ALOK (Provisional Chapter Organizing Committee) for Oakville region oversaw the formation of the LCC chapter and the election of the first chapter executive (apylinkės valdyba) on 1953-5-3. The Oakville chapter was one of the smaller LCC chapters during its existence, but its members actively participated in the chapter’s activities. By 2007, the LCC chapter in Oakville was essentially no longer active.
Kanados Lietuvių Bendruomenės (KLB) Sault Ste. Marie Apylinkė (Lithuanian Canadian Community Sault Ste. Marie Chapter) was the regional chapter of the Lithuanian Canadian Community (LCC) for Lithuanians living in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. On 1948-8-22, Lithuanians living in Sault Ste. Marie formed a chapter of the Kanados Lietuvių Taryba (Lithuanian Council of Canada). On 1950-6-11, Sault Ste. Marie’s Lithuanians voted to form an Apylinkės Laikinasis Organizacinis Komitetas or ALOK (Provisional Chapter Organizing Committee) for Sault Ste. Marie which oversaw the formation of the LCC chapter and the election of the chapter’s first executive (apylinkės valdyba) on 1952-12-21. By 2009, the LCC chapter in Sault Ste. Marie was essentially no longer active.